The programme was approved by the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Senate on December 19, 2008, University of Maribor Senat on February 17, 2009, and by the Council for Higher Education on March 30, 2009. On 24 April 2014, the Senate of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science accepted the application for re-accreditation of the study programme, and the Senate of the University of Maribor accepted it on 22 September 2015. On 17 March 2016, the Council of the National Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Quality Assurance in Higher Education adopted a decision extending the accreditation of the study programme.

Conditions for advancement to the second study year: A student advances to the second study year if they collect at least 48 ECTS credits out by completing the first study year obligations. The compulsory subject of the Communication Research Methods study programme must be among the completed courses. The conditions for promotion under extraordinary conditions and the conditions for repetition are defined by the Statute of the University of Maribor https://www.um.si/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Statut-Univerze-v-Mariboru-uradno-precisceno-besedilo-UPB-13.pdf

A student who completes all the obligations prescribed by the study programme and thus collects at least 120 ECTS credits completes their studies.

A graduate of the study programme for obtaining a second-degree master's education may continue with doctoral studies in the third-degree study programmes in accordance with the conditions determined by the higher education institution announcing the doctoral study programme.

After completing the second degree, the graduate of the master's programme Media Communications is able to creatively and independently perform tasks and projects related to various branches of communication. It is distinguished by its ability to critically assess the latest development trends and theories and practices. Adequate mastery of techniques for independent research and interpretation of results. It also demonstrates originality and creativity in the design of media content, a quality that is appreciated by many reputable employers of our students. The field of work that the master's degree opens to the graduate is very wide, so everyone can successfully adapt their knowledge to the expectations of employers in media, marketing, public relations, design, and online and mobile communications.

Information on study programmes offered by the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science are available on the following website https://feri.um.si/en/study/programmes/.

There are no other obligations.

Examination and assessment of student learning outcomes is performed in accordance with the criteria and methods defined in the Rules on the Examination and Assessment of Knowledge at the University of Maribor https://www.um.si/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Pravilnik-o-preverjanju-in-ocenjevanju-znanja-na-Univerzi-v-Mariboru-stev.-A4-2009-41-AG-uradno-precisceno-besedilo-UPB1.pdf In the case of an individual study unit, the type and manner of taking the examination and the conditions for taking the examination are determined by the curriculum, which is an integral part of the study programme. The curriculum determines the share of each method of examining and assessing the knowledge, which contributes to the final assessment. For all subjects in all study programmes of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, knowledge assessment is regulated by a single Assessment Scale, which is available at the following website: https://feri.um.si/studij/vprasanja-in-odgovori/. Methods of continuous examination and assessment of knowledge are encouraged, thus enabling students to continuously monitor their own progress in their studies.

Fundamental objectives of the study programme are the following: • That it is comparable in scope, content structure and duration with similar study programmes in Western Europe; • That it is designed openly and flexibly, allowing students to easily switch between programmes and a greater degree of choice of subjects within the study programme; • That it is designed with content that provides a commercially interesting profile and adequate employability of graduates and their mobility within the European labour market; • To provide an appropriate and complete set of necessary skills that will enable graduates to successfully enter the labour market and strengthen their ability and motivation for further research and lifelong learning; • That it is structured in such a way that to a large extent the student shapes their own study path in the process of acquiring knowledge and thus assumes most of the responsibility for acquiring an appropriate set of knowledge in accordance with their individual expectations, needs and wishes; • To provide an appropriate choice of content that allows students to develop a certain level of specialisation of professional competencies at the master's level while expanding their expertise with the ability to understand broader social aspects of media work, which will allow them greater job mobility in the labour market; • To provide students with the accumulation of completed obligations at various higher education institutions and the transition between study programmes; • To enable students to more easily recognise the knowledge and skills acquired at other higher education institutions, especially abroad in the framework of various international study exchange programmes.

General competencies that are acquired through the programme: A graduate of the second-degree study programme Media Communications must be after the completed second-degree study programme creative and able to perform research work independently; therefore, the learning objectives at the master's degree study programme include the following general competencies: • A good knowledge of specialised field within the discipline at a more advanced level (the latest theories, methods, techniques, interpretations of theories, etc.); • The ability to critically evaluate the latest development trends and theories, as well as practices (based on the study of original study literature of the specialised professional / academic field); • To master to the relevant extent the art of independent (autonomous) research and interpretation of results at a more demanding level; • To demonstrate originality, creativity and the creativity of media content mastery. General competencies that the student will acquire through the programme are the following: • The ability to actively acquire additional knowledge and its use outside of formal education; • A professional and ethically correct approach to researching and solving the most complex scientific problems; • Developing and defending arguments in solving scientific problems; • The ability for independent, in-depth study and research using appropriate research methodologies; • The ability to independently solve the most challenging scientific problems that require an in-depth and analytical approach in identifying and finding the optimal solutions; • The ability to perform the most demanding professional, research and analytical, as well as managerial works in practice in the areas of the study specialisation selected; • The ability to search for new sources of knowledge in professional and scientific fields; • The ability to use modern interdisciplinary scientific and research methods; • The ability to solve problems and to take responsibility for managing the most complex projects; • The ability to organise effective working groups for solving the most complex professional problems in their field of expertise and in the context of socially responsible and ethically correct behaviour.

Subject-specific competencies that will be developed by the graduate are based on the acquisition of knowledge in the subjects of the study programme. The study programme is designed so that the student determines the study specialisation based on their own ambitions by choosing from a set of elective courses. In this way, each student makes an individual selection of subject-specific competencies that they will acquire. The entire set of subject-specific competencies of the study programme is as follows: • The ability to identify relevant research issues and use research methods to address them; • Understanding social phenomena and advising on various trends in global media events, as well as placing popular media culture in the wider social context; • In-depth knowledge of the foundations of modern visual culture with basic concepts and theories of visual interpretation and the basics of analysis, creation and anticipation of future development of visual media and content, as well as the development of visual communications and design principles of various media forms; • Mastery of processes in video production and the ability to independently analyse contemporary audiovisual content, as well as the ability to actively participate in the creation of contemporary visual content; • Knowledge of modern technologies for production in electronic media and for distribution of media content; • Knowledge of advanced techniques of geometric modelling and computer graphics, which enable more creative graphic design and knowledge of methods for computer creation; • Knowledge of advanced techniques of three-dimensional computer animation and post-production procedures that increase the realism and attractiveness of the final product (special effects); • In-depth knowledge of information and communication technologies from the point of view of convergence effects from the technological, content and organisational point of view; • Knowledge of marketing as a multidisciplinary scientific field and the ability to recognise and analyse the basic principles in the field of brands, reputation and image; • The ability to use psychological knowledge in the entire field of marketing and individual forms of marketing communication.

Candidates who completed the following may apply for the 2nd-cycle (master’s) study programme in Media Communications: a) A 1st-cycle (bachelor’s) study programme corresponding to at least 180 ECTS credits in the field of media communications (0688), Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) (061), audio-visual techniques and media production (0211), journalism and reporting (0321), or inter-disciplinary programmes and qualifications involving social sciences, journalism and information (038). b) A 1st -cycle (bachelor’s) study programme corresponding to at least 180 ECTS credits in a field not specified in the previous paragraph. Prior to enrolment, candidates shall pass the following courses corresponding to 22 ECTS credits under the 1 st-cycle (bachelor’s) study programme in Media Communications: Introduction to Communication (6 ECTS), Informatics in Media (6 ECTS), Web Development (5 ECTS), and Audio and Video Techniques (5 ECTS). If the candidate has mastered course content during 1st-cycle studies, a course may be fully or partially recognized. c) An undergraduate professional study programme adopted prior to 11 June 2004 in the field of media communications (0688), Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) (061), audio-visual techniques and media production (0211), journalism and reporting (0321), or inter-disciplinary programmes and qualifications involving social sciences, journalism and information (038). d) An undergraduate professional study programme adopted prior to 11 June 2004 in a field not specified in the previous paragraph. Prior to enrolment, candidates shall pass the following courses corresponding to 22 ECTS credits under the 1st-cycle (bachelor’s) study programme in Media Communications: Introduction to Communication (6 ECTS), Informatics in Media (6 ECTS), Web Development (5 ECTS), and Audio and Video Techniques (5 ECTS). If the candidate has mastered course content during 1st-cycle studies, a course may be fully or partially recognized. e) An undergraduate academic study programme adopted prior to 11 June 2004 in the field of media communications (0688). Upon demonstrating mastery of relevant study content, candidates are typically awarded 60 ECTS credits and may enrol in the second year of study provided they satisfy the transfer criteria laid down in the accredited study programme. f) An undergraduate academic study programme adopted prior to 11 June 2004 in the field of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) (061), audio-visual techniques and media production (0211), journalism and reporting (0321), or inter-disciplinary programmes and qualifications involving social sciences, journalism and information (038). Upon demonstrating mastery of relevant study content, candidates are typically awarded 30 ECTS credits and may enrol in the corresponding year of study.

When selecting candidates for enrolment in the second-degree study programme Media Communications, the following is taken into account: success in the first-degree study programme - average grade of exams and the final work (100%).

According to the criteria for transitions, candidates enrolled in the study programmes in the field of the Information and Communication Technologies (061), Audio-visual Creation, Technology and Multimedia Production (0211), Design of Visual Communications (0213), Journalism and Media Studies (0321) may transfer to the second-degree study programme Media Communications, which at the end of their studies ensure the acquisition of comparable competencies, and according to the recognition criteria, at least half of the ECTS obligations from the first study programme, which relate to the compulsory subjects of the second study programme, are recognised. In the process of recognition, the already completed study obligations of the students are identified, which can be fully or partially recognised, and the study obligations that they must complete if they want to complete their studies according to the new study programme are determined.

The Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science recognises the acquired knowledge, qualifications or abilities on the basis of the Rules on the Recognition of Knowledge and Skills in the Study Programmes of the University of Maribor, which regulates the procedures for identifying, verifying and recognising knowledge and the criteria for recognising knowledge acquired through formal and non-formal learning before enrolment and during the studies at the University of Maribor. The faculty recognises the knowledge and skills of the candidates, gained before enrolment, if, in terms of scope, their content and complexity fully or partially correspond to the general or subject-specific competencies determined by the study programme in which the candidates wish to enrol or are enrolled. The basis for the recognition of knowledge and skills are the certificates or other documents: - publicly valid documents (certificates, diplomas), - certificates of completed work of the study programme or completed obligations in the study programme, - certificates of education and training providers on successful completion of education/training, certificates and other documents, - products, services, projects, publications and other author's works of candidates, - evidence of registered patents, - relevant references on practical training and work experience, - knowledge acquired through self-education and informal learning and other evidence/knowledge assessed by the Commission for Academic Affairs UM FERI. The process of identifying, verifying and recognizing knowledge and skills begins on the basis of the candidate's application, which he submits on a special form, which is an integral part of the aforementioned rulebook.

A student who completes all the obligations prescribed by the study programme and thus collects at least 120 ECTS credits completes their studies.